Improvement in mechanisms for operating pile-wires in looms



WILLIAM `VVEILD, MANCHESTER), ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ELIAS S. HIGGINS, OF NEW YORK CITY.

" IMPROVEMENT IN `lVlECHA`NlSMS` FOR OPERATING PILE-WIRES IN LOOIVIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1,4113, dated August 25, 1868.

)To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WEILD, of the city ofI` Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, in the United Kingdomvof Great Britain and Ireland, have invented newand useful Improvements in Machinery applicable to Looms for Weaving Pile Fabrics; and `I do` herebydeclare the following to be full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference` being had to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, whichform a part `of this specifica tion, andV to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to mechanism for actuating thewires in that class of looms for weaving pile fabrics where the terry-loop forming the pile is obtained by inserting wires in a obtained Letters Patent forGreat Britain, No.

1,311, and dated the 27th May, in the year` of our Lord 1859, which are improvements upon thosev described in the specification of LettersPatentgranted to me for Great Britain, numbered 267, and dated` 29th January,

Y in the year of our Lord 1857, and numbered 505, and dated the 7th March, in the year of t our Lord 1855. l

0u Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings my improvements in wire-motions are illustrated detached from the loom.

Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a plan View; Fig. 3, a cross-sectional elevation, looking toward that end of the wire-motion nearest the edge of the fabric; and Fig. 4 is a section through part of the trough or grooved bar, andthe parts in which the heads of the wires are held when woven in the fabric. Fig. 4.a is a plan view `of parts of the Wire as held in the box for the heads, and showing one wire in the act of `being inserted.

The views above named illustrate my improved wire-motion, and the igures 5, 6, 7,

vand 8, described below, illustrate'a modificai'tion thereof. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, Fig.

6, a plan view; Fig. 7, a cross-sectional elevation, looking toward that end of the wire-mo tion nearest the fabric; and Fig. 8 is a side View, partly in section, of the bracket or box which receives the heads of the Wires, the instrument which engages Withthe heads of the wires, the slidel which carries the instrument, and the end of the bar Which gives lateral inotion to the slide. H

Some of the partsvof the wire-motions shown by these views are omitted, and others are supposed to be broken away, to show more clearly the parts to which the improvements relate.

Fig. 9, Sheet 2, is a plan view. Fig. 10, Sheet 3, is a front elevation, vand Fig. 11, Sheet 4, is an end elevation, each View showing so much of a loom as will vbe necessary for illustrating the mode of applying and actuating my improved wire-motion.

The main peculiarity of my improvements consists in guiding the head and point end of the wire during its insertion into the shed and Withdrawal from the fabric, and in transferring the point end of the wire by means of a trough or bar hinged at one end, so that the other end may oscillate backward and forward, together with other combined arrangements for carrying out this mode of operation. A similar oscillating trough was used by me prior to this invention; but the entire length of the wire lay in the groove or trough, while, according to my present improvements, the groove or bar is only used to guide the head end of the wire, as springs or projections upon the end of the trough or bar are usedfor guiding, directing, and transferring the point end of the Wire.

In the wire-motion shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4a, a is the plate upon which the slideway al is formed, and a? are brackets attached to the framing of the loom, to which the plate a is secured. b is a slide working onthe slideway, which gives end motion to the wires. rb1 is a stud fixed in the slide b, upon which a link, b2, (shown in Figs. 3 and 6,) is jointed, Which conveys reciprocating motion to the slide. A stud in the slide b carries .the withdrawing-instrument c, which has a pin, c1, on one side to keep it from falling too low, and c2 is an india-rubber spring, which is attached at one end to a pin on the arm of the.withdrawing-instrument, and at the other end to a pin in the slide b.

As the withdrawing-inetrument c does not enter the groove of the trough d, as it did in my prior invention, it does not require to be lifted out of the way before the trough or grooved bar can be moved, as is requisite in the wireniotion according to my prior invention. The slide b also carries a projection, b3, which pushes against the head of each wire when inserted into the shed. The trough or grooved bar d (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) is mounted at the outer and upon a vertical shaft, d1, from which it receives oscillating motion through an arm, d2, (shown partly in Fig. 2,) the arrangement of which will be further described hereinafter. On the inner end of this trough two pieces, d3, are placed, each of which is mounted on the end of a spring, d4, secured to the outside of the trough d. These pieces d3 fit into spaces cut out of the sides of the trough d, and have each a semicircular cavity, so that when pressed together, as shown in Fig. 2, a circular hole is formed by such cavities, through which the wires pass freely. Both ends of the pieces d3 are beveled off, so that when the head of the wire comes against them they will open, and allow it to pass either into or out of the groove.

The object of these pieces d3 is to support the point end of the wire when it is withdrawn from the fabric, and carry it, when the trough moves, to the point at which it is to be again inserted. The end of the trough d which is nearest to the fabric rests and slides upon a ledge, e', which forms a part of the bracket e for holding the heads of the wires in their places when in the fabric. f is the part of this bracket which forms a stop against which the heads of the wires are pushed; it turns upon a center atfl, and is held in the position in which it is shown in the drawings by a pin passing through a hole in the bracket and through its axis f1. The part f is arranged as described, so that it may be turned upon its pivot or hinge f1, to liberate the heads ofthe wires when required. 0n the side of the part f a spring, g, is secured, to the end of which a piece, g2, is attached. This piece presses against the head of the last wire inserted, and keeps it against the heads of the wires previously inserted, so that the head of the wire next to be withdrawn from the fabric is close against that end of the recess opposite to the part g2. The arrangement of the spring g, part g2, and mode of securing it to the hinged part f, as shown, is an improvement upon that described in my British specification, which is the same as that shown in the modification to be hereinafter described; but I make no claim to the improved arrangement of the said parts g and g2. The shape of the heads of the wires h, used in this wire-motion, is-shown in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 4a, which is a plan view of the heads of a few wires, as they are held when woven in the fabric, and part of the presser g2 acting upon them, part of the projection b3 being shown in the act of pushing the head of a wire home into the receptacle.

There is a projection, h2, downward, which enters the groove of the trough d, and another upward, hl, against which the inserting and withdrawing instruments act. Both the inner and outer end of that part, h2, of the head projecting on lower side of the wire is beveled oif, (see plan view, Fig. 4%) to facilitate the entrance of the head of the wire which is being inserted between the head of the wire previously inserted and the piece g2 on the spring g. The end of the withdrawing-instrument c which acts upon the head of the wire isvequal in thickness to the head of the wire, and enters a nick, f2, in the hinged piece f when about to withdraw a wire from the fabric. A spring, b, is attached to the inserting-instrument b3, with a plate, b5, upon its end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. It presses upon the head of the wire during the time it is being withdrawn and inserted, and gives sucient friction against the bottom of the groove in the bar d to prevent the wire from being shot forward by its momentum when the loom is suddenly stopped during the insertion of a wire; but no claim is made to it, as it is an addition made since the date of my British patent.

The manner in which the wire-motion operates is as follows: A given number of wires are used, and their heads, when close together side by side, just ill the recess of which the part g2 forms one end. The heads of all the wires used are held in the recess just before the instrument c begins to withdraw a wire. When the slide b is withdrawn the end of the instrument c enters the nickfz, which is just opposite the wire to be withdrawn, and also opposite the groove in the bar d. The head of the wire pushes against the spring-pieces d3, and opens and passes through when they close round a wire.

When the slide b has come to the end of its outward movement the point of the wire is clear of the heads left in the recess, and is supported by the spring-pieces d3. Now the trough d, which has been stationary in the position shown in Fig. 2 during the withdrawal of the wire, is moved to present the point end of the wire toward its entrance into the shed, when the slide b moves quickly inward, and by the time the head of the wire has arrived at therecess the end of the trough has arrived in a line with the face of the part g2, where the trough remains till the head of the wire is pushed home, as shown in Fig. 4. Then the trough is again moved into the position to receive the wire to be withdrawn, and the operations are again repeated. I shall now proceed to describe the modification of my improved wire-motion. (Shown by Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8.) a is the plate, upon which the slideway al is formed. a2 are brackets or feet,

sansa l 3 by which it is secured to the framing of the loom. b is the slide which gives end movements to -the wires. b3 is a projection from the slide b, and d is a bar hinged at its outer 'end at d1. This bar may be actuated in the This shaft receives oscillating movements from a cam placed upon the tappet-shaft of the loom. The end of the. bar d rests and slides upon a ledge, e, connected with the bracket e, which holds the heads of the wires when in the fabric. g is a spring secured to the plate a, the end of which carries the piece g2, for pressing against the heads ofthe wires. The end g1 of this spring serves as a latch to hold down the part f, which is beveled off to allow the withdrawing-hook to. pass from the wire last inserted to that to be withdrawn.

The instrument for engaging with the ends of the'wires is inserted in a swivel-slide. The lower part of this slide grasps and slides upon the bar d, and it has apin projecting upward from it, (see Fig. 8,) which fits a hole in the upper part of the slide t', that grasps the projection b3. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) By this arrangement lateral motion is given to the instrument engaging with the heads of the wires.

The instrument for engaging with the heads of the wires is similar to thatdescribed in the specification of a prior British patent, and therefore I make no claim to it separately and apart from the mode of actuating it, as herein described, but will explain its construction and mode of action. The part k1 is of equal thickness to the heads of the wires. Its end is fixed in the slide. The part k1 is surrounded with a hoop, k2, which can slide to and fro on the part k1, and upon the end of the part k1 a hook, It, is riveted. The hook la and hoop 7a2 have each a projection, upon which an india-rubber band, j, is placed, which will drawrthe hoop when at liberty till its end comes in contact with the hook k. From the side of the part k1 there is a projection, 7a3, about half an inch long, which serves to push against the end of the heads of the wires last inserted, to keep them in their places, and insure clearance for the `instrument when slid from the wire last inserted to that to be withdrawn. There is a projection, w, from the hoop k2, which comes in contact with a ledge or projection 011 the end of the bar d, as shown in Fig. 8, before the slide b arrives at the end of its inward movement, so as to hold back the hoop k2, as shown, while the hook It and part k1 push forward. The manner in which this wire-motion acts is as follows: Just before a wire is to be withdrawn the instrument le and bar d are in the position shown in the drawings. The

hook part 7c is just opposite the head of the wire to be withdrawn.

When the slide b moves outward the head of the wire is drawn out, the spring j holds the hook k2 until the hook k brings up against it, so that the head of the wire is inclosed by the hoop k2, and it' cannot get away from or out of the instrument. When the point of the wire is withdrawn it rests between two projections, 07,9, at the end of the bar., which serve to transfer and direct it into the shed, when the bar d is moved at the end of the outward stroke of the slide b, and when the slide has completed its inward stroke the bar has moved the instrument engaging with the head of the wire on a line'withthe face of the part g2. The hook part 7c is then disengaged from and the wire-head is forced home, and the instrument then spans over the heads of the wires, and can be. slid over them from the Wire inserted to that to be next withdrawn.

The hook part k may be dispensed with, the end being simply cut off, except the projection to hold the india-rubber spring j, using in place of the hook k the withdrawing-in'- strument c. (Shown in Figs. l and 2.)

I shall now describe the manner in which my improvements are applied to a loom and actuated, bythe assistance'of the ngures upon Sheets 2, 3, and 4. The following are some of the ordinary parts of a carpetfloom, which are shown wholly or partly in the figures last referred to, some of the parts being supposed broken away. A is the framing. l is the first-motion shaft, also the crank-shaft. m are the driving-pulleys. n is the ily or hand wheel. p is the tappet-shaft. q are the tappets for working the healds; fr, the heald-levers; s, the rollers for the body-warp; t, the

`roller for the pile-warp; a, the reed; o, the

supporting-roller for the woven fabric; w, the

y taking-up roller; x, the roller upon which the woven fabric is wound.

The same letters of referencev as have been hereinbefore used in describing the wire-motion, Figs. l to 4, will be found upon such of the principal parts of it as are shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 1l, so that the position of the wiremotion in relation to the ordinary weaving parts of the loom will be readily understood.

The lateral oscillation of the trough or bar d may be produced in either of the two wiremotions hereinbefore described by means of wires, is placed upon the tappet-shaft p, and

it acts upon an anti-friction bowl on a stud fixed in the lever p2, which has its fulcrum on a stud, p3, secured in the framing of the loom.

To the other end of this lever p2 one' end of an adjustable link, p4, is jointed, the other end being jointed to an arm, p5, fixed on the end 4 of a shaft, p6, carried by two brackets secured to the framing. To a short arm of the shaft p6 another arm, p7, is secured, to the upper end of which one end of a link, b2, is jointed, the other end being placed onv the stud b1 in` the slide b.

The oscillations of the trough: or bar d are given by the vertical shaft d1, which has al foot-step bearing in a bracket secured to the framing. Upon the lower end of the shaft dl an arm, d2, is Xed, upon the end of which an 'anti-friction' bowl is placed, which is actedupon bya cam,lp8,tixed on the: end of the tap pet-shaft p, the anti-friction bowl being kept against the cam by a sprin g, p9, secured to the arm d2 at one end, and to a bracket upon the framing of the loomA at the other end.

The cam` for actuating the slide for inserting and withdrawing the wires sshaped so as to begin to insert the point of the wire' as soon as the shed is sniciently open, pushing the head of the wire home a little before the reed beats-up, and it is shaped to begin and end slow, having the quickest movement in its mid-stroke. rEhe cam is shaped to cause a short dwell at each end of its stroke, allY the remainder of' the cam being used for moving the slide back slowly to draw out a wire.

The cam for actuating the bar or trough dlk is made to hold the trough stationary while the wire is being withdrawn; then to move to the point where the wire is to be inserted, and hold the trough or bar in this position tili the wire is about half inserted; then gradually to move back till opposite the place where the headI is to be forced' home; then back to the position to receive the next wire.

The shape and construction of these cams iare well known, being used by me in prior inventions.

I have now particularly described the natureof my invention, and the manner in which it may be carried into effect, and claim as my inventionl. Wire-motions where the head of the wire fonly is guided during its insertion and withdrawal, and the point is supportedand trans- .ferred from the point of withdrawal to the point'of insertion by a trough orlbar, d, oscil- 9 lating on a i'ulcrurn or jointsubstantially as hereinbefore described.

2. The combination of Wires, with heads of f the shape shown in Figs. 4 and Fig. 4a, with an oscillating grooved trough, d, substantially as hereinbefore described.

Witnesses:

PETER J. LivsEY, W. GIFFARD. 

